Monthly Archives: July 2011

In the hearts and minds of workers particularly black workers, the poor, and youth across the world, Malcolm X remains an icon of revolutionary spirit and commitment to justice, freedom, and liberty for the most oppressed people in the world. May 19 marked the 86th birthday of Malcolm X; it has been 46 years since his public assassination.

SIPTU has published a document entitled, “Optimising Ireland’s Oil and Gas Resources.” It deals mainly with the exploration for oil and gas in this state and the implication of government policy in this area. It also gives a resumé of how the state has dealt with the exploitation of these natural resources over the past forty years.

Hydraulic Fracturing or “fracking” is a technique for extracting gas from deep within shale rock and coal beds. It looks set to become big oil’s newest gold rush and, as usual, their desperation for profit makes them blind to the environmental costs of their folly.

Ireland's corporation tax rate of 12.5% is a subsidy worth billions enjoyed by multinationals and Irish big business. Time again, the capitalist media and political establishment tell us that this is a sacred cow for the Irish economy and must be preserved at all costs.

According to the Minister for Finance Michael Noonan the IMF and the EU are set to make €9 billion profit from Ireland’s bailout. Not content with heaping misery upon millions of working class people, the European Union mandarins want to make money out of it.

A group of protestors staged a symbolic protest in Limerick this morning, occupying King John's Castle and dropping ag giant banner saying "Limerick Says No to IMF Dictatorship" in response to the ongoing IMF visit to Ireland and last nights downgrading of Irish bonds to Junk status. They are calling on people to come out on Saturday and join a larger public rally outside Penney's at 2pm which has been organsied by various groups and individuals. Today's protest was organised by Socialist Youth to "send a clear message to our new Kings in the IMF and international banks: the people of Limerick will not stand for this new rule. People can't take the cuts in SNAs, health, education and welfare that they are demanding."

The Spirit Level – now available in paperback – argues that inequality of wealth and income are the biggest determinants of social wellbeing and quality of life. socialistparty.net reviews this work which, in many ways, makes the case for socialism.